Aerial projectile game goal



March 20, 1951 F. J. HATLEY 2,545,615

AERIAL PROJECTILE GAME GOAL Filed March 8, 1946 /Z3 z+ if Z6 /7 /Z A? /3 ML 20 f'zrenfar FRED J. HATLEy.

AI v 17 H1295 Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATE AERIAL momo'rnjn GAME GOAL Fred J. Hatley, Maywood, 111.

Application March 8, 1946, Serial No. 653,090

This invention relates to a novel ball game,

and more particularly to such a game involving competition between teams on a ,playing field, and novel apparatus for playing the game.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an interesting, healthful and active ball game which is adapted to be played with a standard football and simple goal equipment and which is particularly devised to develop skill in handling the ball without the aspects of personal physical impact of regular football.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game which can be played with anordinary football and which is especially suitable for players of elementary and high school ages, but which is also valuable in training regular football players of any school level in ball handling.

A further object is to provide a novel ball game which is especially versatile as to the number of players who may participate and 5 Claims. (01. 273-105)" 2 .2 field II located about the ring post I B through any of a plurality of scoring rings l2 carried by the goal post. In the particular embodiment of the game selected for exemplification herein, a six ring goal is provided in which the rings face respectively dilferent directions to make one or more rings available from any point 360 around the goal post. The game can thus be played on a rectangular field as shown, or on a circular field with the goal post In, in either event, at the center.

The goal rings [2 per se are fixedly related in respective vertical planes and in a hexagonal which can be played outdoors or indoors and I} is thus suitable for any seasonof the year.

in the provision of novel goal aparatus for a ball game.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying one sheet of drawings wherein:

Figure l is a schematic layout of a playing field for the novel ball game of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of a ring goal device providing the focal point of interest for the ball game.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken substantially in the plane of line III-III of Fig. 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of a supporting arm and one of the goal rings.

As equipment for playing the game of the present invention, an available playing ball, preferably a standard football, and means providing ball-receiving openings on horizontal axis, such as a ring goal post It! willmeet the requirements. The ultimate aim of the game is to make a winning score according to a preferred set of playing rules, by throwing the ball from a playing arrangement with their axes in a common horizontal plane, upon a carrying head is which has radial supporting arms M for the individual rings. "A standard l5 supports the head l3. Where the standard I5 is to be in a permanent location, it may be sunk directly in the ground or other playing surface, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, although it is obvious that where it is desirable to have the standard l5 portable, any preferred portable base may be provided therefor. I

Although the head I3 may be secured directly and permanently to the standard IE, it may, for convenience in handling for disassem-bly purposes be provided with a depending central stem I! received in the upper end of the standard 15. Bracing struts l8 may extend from the stem I! to any or all of the ring supporting arms [4.

A further convenience for handling and storage oi the goal ring assembly is afforded by a collapsible arrangement thereof, and for this purpose means such as clamps l9 may be provided for holding the individual rings 12 on their supportingarms l4 so that the rings can be swung down to a collapsed condition as shown in full lines in Figure 4. In the playing condition of the rings, they are adapted to be secured fixedly together in upright position by any preferred means such as interconnecting clamps 20, although where permanent fixed assembly is desired the rings can, of course, be secured togetheras by welding or brazing. Excellent results in practice have been'o'btained by afconstruction of the ring goal as- V sembly l0 wherein the individual rings are applaying the game, the playing field Ii may be subdivided into a plurality of graduated scoring zones of varying value in depth. Any suitable means for marking off these zones may be employed such as slaked lime or the like for an outdoor field or paint for a hard floor surface such as on a gym floor or cement Or asphalt court. Accordingly, the boundaries of the playing field H may be defined by a line 21 which, where the playing field is rectangular as shown, comprises side line portions 21a and end line portions 211) joined right angularly, but where the playing field is round would comprise the line of greatest diameter delineating the boundary of the playing field. A center or ring line 22 of special prominence divides the playing field i I transversely into two main playing sections. Each of the playing sections is, in turn, subdivided by lines 23 and 24 into playing zones 25, 25 and 21 of respectively greater spacing from the ring line 22. Parallel to the division line 23 and within the scoring zone 26 may be provided a free throw line 28. Flanking the playing field I! in centered relation to the ring line 22 are respective starting zones 29.

I-n playing the present ball game, teams are chosen, each comprising any desired number of players. From seven to eighteen players per team have been accommodatedsuccessfully, and in this respect the game is advantageously flexible. Each team is assigned a respective starting Zone 29 from which the football is put into play by throwing by the offensive team.- The objective, then, 1

of the players is to manoeuver the ball according to the prescribed rules by passing, throwing and running the ball, under competitive conditions with the end aim of throwing the ball in a generally horizontal direction through any of the goal rings [2, which, by their number and position are accessible from an part of the playing field. The scoring valueof the various scoring zones, 25, 29 and 21 may be determined in proportion to the skill and accuracy demanded to send the ball through a goal ring Thus the scoring zone may have a value of one point, the scoring zone 26 two points, and the scoring zone 21 three points for sending the ball through a goal ring 12 therefrom. To enhance the competitive interest, the development of teamwork and cooperation among the players and to promote endurance and stam ina, while minimizing the danger of physical injury, the rules will, of course, relate to such features as limitations upon personal contact of the players, time limits upon executing a play and passing the ball, directional instructions for carrying the ball by running, out of bound plays, fouling, etc.-

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel ball game which fulfills an important aim in the physical culture and recreational field by providing for relatively large group competition, and which is simple enough for maximum participation by all of the players, While yet requiring a suificient degree of skill and clever ball handling to maintain interest and competition at a peak throughout. Since the equi ment and 1aying field requirements are simple and permit either outdooror indoor playing, the game is free from seasonal interruptions. Since footballs are in the nature of a readily obtainable commodity, and the goal rin assemblies of simple and inexpensive nature, the investment in equipment for playing the game is negligible.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

i, In combination in apparatus for playing a ball game, a supporting head, a plurality of upright goal rings facin in respectively difierent directions, means for securing the goal rings to the head, and means for securing the proximate sides of the goal rings together for mutual upright support.

2. In combination in a ball game goal device of the character described, a supporting head comprising a symmetrically arranged series of six arms and a central support, a ring member carried at the outer end of each of said arms, and means for connecting the sides of the ring members' together into asymmetrical six sided arrangement with the openings in the ring members at respectively opposite sides of the device aligned.

3. In combination in a portable ring goal apparatus for playing a ball game, a standard, a head structure carried by said standard, a plurality of goal rings hingedly connected to said standard and arranged to be swung from a collapsed condition into upright condition about respective hinge axes angular to one another, the sides of adjacent ring members being adjacent to one another in the upright condition of the rings, and means for securing the rings in the upright condition thereof.

4. In combination in a portable ring goal apparatus for playing a ball game, a standard, a head structure carried by said standard, a plurality of goal rings hingedly connected to said structure and arranged to be swung from a collapsed c'ondition into uprightcondition about respective hinge axes angular to one another, the sides of adjacent ring members being adjacent to one another in the upright condition of the rings, and means securing the sides of the adjacent rings together for mutual upright support,

5. In combination in apparatus for playing a ball game, a head structure, an upright standard carrying said head structure and adapted to support the head structure in spaced relation above a playing field, a plurality of upright goal ring members facing in respectively different directions, means for 'securin'g said goal ring members to said head structure, and means for securing the proximate sides of the goal rings in fixed operative relation.

FRED J HATLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in tlie file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'I'" s 

